purr

American  

[pur] / pɜr /

Archaic, pur

verb (used without object)

1. to utter a low, continuous, murmuring sound expressive of contentment or pleasure, as a cat does.

2. (of things) to make a sound suggestive of the purring of a cat.

   The new motor of the car purred.

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verb (used with object)

1. to express by or as if by purring.

noun

1. the low, vibrating sound made by a cat by the contracting of the laryngeal muscles and the diaphragm as it breathes.

2. a sound resembling this.

3. the act of purring.

purr British  

/ pɜː /

verb

1. (intr) (esp of cats) to make a low vibrant sound, usually considered as expressing pleasure, etc

2. (tr) to express (pleasure, etc) by this sound

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noun

1. a purring sound

Other Word Forms

• purringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of purr

First recorded in 1595–1605; imitative

Example Sentences

Together, these results highlight how domestication shaped the modern cat's voice, turning the meow into a flexible communication tool while leaving the purr as a steady marker of individuality.

From Science Daily • Feb. 11, 2026

That voice is all purr and growl, like a lion clawing its way through velvet.

From BBC • Sep. 8, 2025

Undoubtedly, one sweet tabby will purr its way into your heart and become a “foster fail.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 22, 2025

Even the Pokémon noises are gently mellowed out in contrast to the coarser, more caterwauling sounds of the games; here the creatures purr, cry, coo and sigh like docile house pets.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2024

They purr, though not as melodiously or as frequently as small cats, and only as they breathe out.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel